Chelsea are preparing a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos in the summer, according to the Metro.

Kroos is in his last year of a contract at Bayern and is yet to agree an extension on his contract with the Bavarians owing to a dispute about his wages and, despite Manchester United’s reported interest in the German, the London outfit are now in pole position to secure his signature.

Bayern are unlikely to let the midfielder leave on a free next season and are expected to sell him for a fee in the range of £25 million if they fail to reach an agreement before the end of the summer.

However, this move could come at a price for Chelsea’s young Brazilian midfielder Oscar, whose performances dipped throughout the second half of the season.

He started the campaign extremely well, netting six goals in his first 18 Premier League matches. He made an impressive impact, proving himself as the club’s key man at Chelsea, until Eden Hazard stole his thunder mid-way through the season. Since, he has settled for a supporting role to the Belgian.

According to the report, Mourinho would not flinch at shelling out the £150,000-a-week the Kroos is demanding from his current club and Roman Abramovich would have no qualms with facilitating his suspected transfer fee, especially if Oscar is sacrificed in an attempt to conform to Financial Fair Play regulations.

The question is, should he be sold? Oscar is a fantastic young talent and he certainly has the potential to establish himself as one of the world's top midfielders. At just 22 years of age, he still has a long way to go in terms of development.

Oscar arrived at Stamford Bridge for £25 million, during Roberto Di Matteo's brief stint as permanent manager, and since he has payed back a fair chunk of the club's investment. He still has much to achieve with in London, but we have seen exactly what he is capable of when given the opportunity.

Considering just how much football the youngster has played over the years, it's no surprise he's exerpienced a slight burn-out during the latter phase of the season. Due to international involvement in the past Confederations Cup and Olympic tournaments, he's barely been afforded a breather since his move to Stamford Bridge.

His importance at international level is a further factor to consider. After all, he's regularly starting in attacking midfield for arguably the most creative nation on the planet. Brazil head coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, clealry envisiges him as a key man for the present and the future, or else he'd opt for a player with superior experience or ability.

Having said this, Jose Mourinho has no objection to isolating the club's most talented players; a brief look back to the Juan Mata saga earlier in the season provides evidence of this. It wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him shipped out of the back door.

Chris Linnell

Chris is a freelance football writer from Wiltshire, England. He is currently studying Modern History and Politics at the University of Liverpool. He has written for various other sites, including the Boot Room and Bleacher Report. His work has also featured on Eurosport.